the heart they fondly hoped to heal."

There was far less feeling and tenderness, though more words and much
greater noise in taking their farewell of the two old messengers that
had accompanied them from Badagry, and who, with their Jenna guides,
were to return home on the following day. They had behaved throughout
the whole of the journey to the entire satisfaction of the Landers,
and because they had been their companions on a long and painful
journey, and because their faces had become familiarized to them,
that they left them behind with sincere regret.

Although they left Keeshee between six and seven in the morning, they
were obliged to seat themselves on a green turf in the outskirts of
the town, and wait there till a quarter after nine before the
carriers with the luggage made their appearance. Here they were
joined by a Borgoo fatakie, and their ears were saluted with the
hoarse, dull sounds of their drum, which was played by a ragged young
Yarribean, long after they were on their journey. A company of
merchants travelling through the country has always a drummer in
their pay, who walks at the head of the party, and performs on his
instrument continually, be the journey ever so long, for the purpose
of animating the slaves to quicken their steps.

Their route lay through a vast and lonely forest, infested by a band
of robbers and in which there is not a single human habitation. John
Lander went unarmed before the fatakie, and travelled alone, whilst
Richard remained behind to defend the carriers, in case of necessity.
He had already ridden some distance in advance of them, when about
twenty very suspicious-looking fellows, armed with lances, bows, and
arrows, suddenly made their appearance from behind the trees, where
they had concealed themselves, and stood in the middle of the path,
before the men with the luggage, who were so terrified that they were
prepared to drop their burdens and run away. His gun being loaded,
Richard Lander levelled it at them, and had nearly discharged it at
their leader, which intimidated them all so much, that they retreated
again into the heart of the forest. When the people of Yarriba
observe any one approaching them on the road, whose appearance
inspires them with apprehension as to the honesty of their
intentions, they fling off their loads without waiting the result of
the meeting, and take to their heels without venturing to look behind
them. The robbers, therefore, when